Asian Cut
"Asian Cut" is the seventh episode of Miami Vice's fifth season. The episode premiered on January 13, 1989. Summary Trudy acts as bait to catch a sadistic serial killer specializing in call girls. Plot At a club, a photographer named Stuart Whitley (Russell Horton) is taking pictures of various people, and a girl named Angie is telling another girl named Sandy about the money to be made as a call girl. Angie gives her the name and number of a contact, Cheryl Stone, and she runs out when a man shows up looking for her. Crockett & Tubbs are outside observing Trudy when a man gets rough with her and drags her into an alley. Crockett & Tubbs subdue the man, and Trudy is taking him to jail when a vagrant shows up saying he saw a big man with a girl and a knife, and leads them to an abandoned building where they find Angie, dead with a mysterious symbol carved on her back. Angie's death is the fourth recent hooker death with the same MO. One of the girls had a pimp named Lester Cope and Castillo wants him checked out, as well as any recent ritualistic deaths in Justice files (Crockett goes to check on that). He encounters Whitley again who tries to get info on the recent killings out of Crockett, who tells him to hit the road and threatens jail if he interferes (he was known to dress up as Santa to get into a house for an interview). Castillo meets Professor Haliwell (David Schramm) who confirms the marks are Asian and will get back to him with more details. At Metro, Trudy & Tubbs meet Mr. Dyson (Steve Ryan), whose daughter Sandy was with Angie at the time of the murder. She is an 18-year-old runaway and Dyson wants to find her. Tubbs has Trudy make a statement and leaves a picture of her, then he gets a call as to where to find Lester. Tubbs & Switek find him and he said his girl that was killed went to a Japanese man named Toguru (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), who's crazy and uses a knife. Later, Trudy (as "Cookie", her hooker cover name) spots Sandy (Julian Brams), talks to her and finds her dad was possibly molesting her, then she runs off for a date. Crockett & Tubbs go see Toguru about Sandy, he claims he doesn't know her, and shows his propensity for knives, including sending one their way. Sandy calls someone for a get-together, has her picture taken and is dragged in. Sandy's body is found with the same Asian marks as the others. Trudy is doubtful about Dyson's grief after what Sandy told her. Tubbs takes him to Sandy's place to check it out for any information, Tubbs finds her diary and reads a passage about her wanting success and she was trying to do as well as Cheryl Stone, and they go to visit Cheryl's escort service, she said Sandy went to meet a man named Carlos, as did Angela Nelson. Whitley shows up at Dyson's apartment (dressed like a priest), makes up a false story to get inside, then starts shooting pictures. When Dyson threatens to kick him out, he said if he gets an interview, Whitley said he can let him know who killed his daughter. Trudy confirms Togaru & Carlos were together the bar the night of the killing, and Castillo wants to get someone inside ASAP, and Trudy volunteers. Carlos calls into the escort service (where Gina answers the line and everyone monitoring) requesting a "special girl" who is experienced, sensitive, and understands things. Gina gives Carlos Trudy's number and they set up the meet at the Riverview Hotel. Tubbs monitors Trudy and finds Carlos (Alfredo Alvarez Calderon) is a pain freak and loves S&M, and gives Trudy the whip to do her thing. Dyson went into the bar to find Togaru, claiming he killed Sandy, shot one of his men, and is shot down. Professor Haliwell is still checking on the symbols when Whitley shows up wanting more info from Haliwell. Tubbs expresses his distaste for Whitley's work and Haliwell isn't interested. Trudy gets a call from Carlos who wants to introduce her to a friend that night. OCB finds Carlos has been in the military in Special Forces and then worked as a mercenary until recently. Whitley watches Haliwell leave his place and breaks in to snoop, finds the photographs of the dead girls, then is caught by Haliwell & Carlos, Haliwell tells Whitley about his experience with pain & torture, then shows Whitley exactly what "pain & torture" are all about when Carlos takes him away. Crockett & Tubbs head over to Trudy's apartment and she's not there, the manager told him Trudy left with Carlos a few minutes earlier, and Carlos takes her to meet his friend Haliwell. Switek finds that Carlos worked in Vietnam with Air America, as did Haliwell. Haliwell is showing slides of agony-ridden people to a group of mannequins (with recorded applause) reciting propaganda about pain and torture. Crockett & Tubbs check Haliwell's place and find Whitley literally hung out to dry, and the address of Haliwell's warehouse. Haliwell plans to demonstrate his torture techniques on Trudy, including falanaga, beating a person on the soles of the feet, and uses a shock gun as the "stick" on Trudy, then pulls out a knife to do the same cut on her, when Crockett & Tubbs arrive. Carlos opens fire and he & Haliwell escape. Crockett frees Trudy and he & Tubbs go after them. Tubbs shoots down Carlos, and Trudy (though suffering from the effects of her torture) shoots Haliwell down. Notes *David Schramm played Roy Biggins on the long running sitcom Wings. *Russell Horton was, for many years, the voice of the Trix Rabbit in the famous cereal commercials. *Air America was the cover name for the CIA-sponsored air service used in their southeast Asian intelligence missions. *The Church Committee was a congressional committee to investigate intelligence activities by the CIA & FBI during the Vietnam era, which led to a presidential order in 1976 banning US-sanctioned assassinations of foreign leaders. Music *"Here It Is...Take It!" by That Petrol Emotion (opening sequence at club) *"Under The Milky Way" by The Church (Trudy goes to see Carlos) Quotes *"When they give out awards for bull, he should win the Nobel Prize!" -- Tubbs about Whitley *"Les, we understand there's a couple of boys you burned just waiting for your triumphant return to county cut, and we can take you there right now if you want to!" -- Switek to Lester Category:Miami Vice Season 5 Episodes